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The second biggest “holiday” (at least in terms of retail) has finally arrived! The day where kids come home from school distracted from doing their homework and definitely not in the mood for dinner is here. Moms and Dads may try to leave work early, depending on the complexity of the costumes. More about costumes further down…

Tonight, make sure kids don’t go to homes without porch lights on. And for the love of kids, do not turn your porch light on tonight if you don’t have candy or if you’re not home. Nothing is more annoying than that for parents while we trudge around on wet grass (or if we’re lucky on sidewalks) than to stand there waiting for nothing. Okay, there may be :::some::: things more annoying: a stick in your eye, for example.

Forecast calls for rain, and there are those people who don’t do well driving in the rain (you know who you are!). Please be extra careful if you are out in a car. Kids should also wear some reflective tape on their costumes. And here we are back to costumes. Have you put it off to the last minute? I found this site that has some very cute ideas. Here ya go with my favorites.

ANTARTICA Are you Portly? Pleasingly plump? Big-boned? Just plain overweight? Halloween was meant for you! Simply throw that white sheet over yourself, and you’re the continent of AntarticaBAKED POTATO New parents! Are you confused about how to dress your infant for the Halloween party? The answer is as close as your kitchen! Simply wrap the offspring in aluminum foil– and the kid’s a baked potato!UNIVERSAL BAR CODE Get a child’s growth chart with the lines and numbers on it, then affix it to your body from head to toe. Every shopper will recognize you as a price in Universal Bar Code! This costume will also protect your anonymity: No one can tell what the real price is, just like at the grocery store!PILLOWS A simple pillow can provide any number of last-minute costumes. Tuck it into the upper back of your shirt — you’re Quasimodo! Or move it around to the front — you’re Arnold Schwarzenegger! Now drop it lower — you’re any pregnant celebrity. Don’t discard that pillow case — put it over the top part of your body and you’re a Chicklet!UNPROGRAMMED VCR Get a long and shallow cardboard box. Cut a rectangle in the front. Climb inside it, then put a sign that reads “12:00” in front of the rectangle. Yes, you’re an unprogrammed VCR — the kind that 60 percent of the public owns! LOST TV REMOTE Art imitates life once again with this cumbersome but easily identifiable costume. Simply remove two large seat cushions from your sofa, and affix one in front of you and one behind you. You’re an item familiar to all — the lost TV remote control!RADON GAS Go to a party dressed as you are. When asked what you’re supposed to be, say “Radon gas!” Then when asked, “Where’s your costume?” say, “Where else? In my basement!”DAVID LETTERMAN’S TEETH You and a friend each get a large appliance box and paint it white. Put them on. Stand close together with a slight space between you. Behold! You’re David Letterman’s front teeth!Happy Halloween LaVergne!

The past lives at this exit, too. Somewhere to the west lies the grave of Confederate Pvt. Dewitt Jobe, while to the east is the home of Confederate soldier Sam Davis, both members of the Coleman Scouts who gave their lives rather than surrender secrets to the Union army at the height of the Civil War.

Now, I knew about Sam Davis. I know about the battleground.

What really brought this to my attention was the fact that I really do not know the history of this great county I live in. That’s going to change soon.

It is with great pleasure that I announce my office will again be able to host “Christmas for the Children” this year. The word came down today from our corporate office in Murfreesboro that they are sharing funds to help some of the least fortunate children in LaVergne and Smyrna. We usually host a party for up to 220 children. We are not able to have a party this year, but we will be buying gifts for about 150 children.

School counselors should watch for a fax to come in the next day or two. We will ask the teachers to give us a handful of names. Although the number of children we’re asking for will be less, those kids typically have brothers and sisters at home who we also buy for. Each child will receive a new full change of clothing (including coats, socks, gloves, etc.) and one toy.

We plan to hold a little reception here at the office for parents to come and pick up the gifts. We’ll be serving hot chocolate and cookies for those who can come. If they can’t make it, agents from the office will deliver the gifts to their homes. The date will be announced at a later time.

So I want to take the time to thank some very special people in our communities who have helped these past few weeks. You have generous hearts and I we really appreciate you.

It’s “time” to set your clocks back! We’ll have an hour more of daylight in the evenings, but it’ll be dark when the kids are at the bus stops in the mornings. While you’re setting your clocks back, don’t forget to change the battery of your smoke alarm!

By the way, congrats to the City of LaVergne for throwing an AWESOME Trail of Treats! It was wonderful – great fun, friendly city employees, and overall perfect day.

LaVergne’s Trail of Treats is tomorrow (Saturday, October 28th) at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Held from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., children can come dressed in their costumes. They’ll “trick or treat” along the park’s walking trail. In addition, there will be hayrides, a spider-web obstacle course, jumping through the pumpkin patch and digging for bones in the graveyard.

In case you missed it, there is a scholarship now available for bloggers! It appears that college students may nominate themselves for the $5,000 p/year scholarship. Go HERE to read more about it! You have until October 30th to apply, so hurry!

Also, I wanted to share these photos with you that Angie Mayes sent. Here are photos taken at the same time of two different areas of LaVergne. Can we figure out what season it is?

This was taken at Max Puckett’s house (the auctioneer’s home on the corner of Junior High Drive and Stones River Road). Anyone who drops kids off at Waldron School or LaVergne Primary know the road!

This one was taken in the Morningside subdivision (my neighborhood and you can see why I love it!). Okay, here’s the answer. It’s fall. Why the trees at Max Puckett’s house are blooming, I don’t know. But we have sure enjoyed the fall foliage this year!

And if you like the neighborhood pictured above, there are currently three homes available priced from $124,000 to $170,000! I absolutely love living back here… there is not a lot of traffic, big yards, and we are near the wildlife area. If you’re looking for a house, mortgage rates have just dropped as have home prices so this is a great time to buy a home. Call your realtor and ask to tour this neighborhood. If you don’t have a realtor, go to this site or this one.

Vote early to avoid the long lines on election day! Unless you live in the back of a cave or don’t own a television set, you should know that it’s election season. We’ve been bombarded with campaign ads, yard signs, automated telephone calls and postcards over the last month. All of this will be peaking in the next two weeks as we gear up for election day on November 7th. But you can avoid the crowds by voting early.

Here’s WHERE to go if you live in Rutherford County:Town of Smyrna Fire Dept. & Administration Bldg.145 S. Lowry St.Smyrna

REMINDER: Don’t forget Skate-for-the-Children on Thursday, October 26th from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at Smyrna Skate Center. Proceeds will be used for “Christmas for the Children,” a fundraiser that benefits the less fortunate kids in our community during the holidays. If you’d like to make a donation, contact Kathy Tyson at 491-2161 or Bob Parks Realty at 459-4040. This is the same night as Roy Waldron’s Skate Night… families who are there for Waldron School will are invited to participate in the silent auction set up in one of the party rooms!